Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto met with India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar as part of a state visit ahead of India’s Republic Day celebrations
On Friday, 24 January 2025, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto was honoured with a courtesy visit by India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, at the hotel where he was staying in New Delhi. The meeting was part of a longstanding Indian tradition of welcoming high-ranking foreign guests, particularly heads of state, as part of their state visit itinerary.
Ambassador of Indonesia to India, Ina Krisnamurthi, explained that the meeting was a ceremonial gesture to honour President Prabowo as the chief guest for India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations. “The visit is part of a package of activities traditionally held at the start of a state visit, with the Foreign Minister acting as the special envoy of the Prime Minister to welcome the state guest,” she shared with the media after the meeting. There were no substantive discussions during the meeting as the focus was on formalising the welcoming ceremony for President Prabowo.
Ambassador Ina also noted the historical significance of this visit, stating that India has a special relationship with Indonesia, particularly in the context of the Republic Day celebrations. The tradition of inviting a foreign head of state as a guest of honour was established by Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno, who was the inaugural chief guest at India’s first Republic Day in 1950. “The sequence has remained largely unchanged since 1950,” she added.
This visit coincided with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-India diplomatic relations, reinforcing the symbolic importance of President Prabowo’s participation as the chief guest. The visit also underscores Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with India, which was formalised in 2018.
President Prabowo is scheduled to attend a series of state events, including the Republic Day celebrations on 26 January 2025, which will feature traditional ceremonies with deep cultural significance. His presence is expected to further cement the bilateral ties between the two nations and mark a historic moment in their diplomatic relations. Accompanying President Prabowo were Foreign Minister Sugiono, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Ambassador Ina Krisnamurthi.
Source: Ministry of State Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia
